The Sincere Convert

1.¹ 1. To carry thee to the Lord Jesus the only Saviour, Heb. 7. 25. he only is able to save (not duties) all that come unto God (that is, in the use of means,) by him: hear a Sermon to carry thee to Jesus Christ: Fast and pray, and get a full tide of affections in them to carry thee to the Lord Jesus Christ, (that is,) to get a more love to him, more acquaintance with him, more union with him: so sorrow for thy sins, that thou mayest be more fitted for Christ, that thou mayest prize Christ the more; use thy duties, as Noah's dove did her ⟨p. 259⟩wings, to carry thee to the Ark of the Lord Jesus Christ, where only there is rest. If she had never used her wings, she had fallen in the waters: so if thou shalt use no duties, but cast them all off, thou art sure to perish; Or as it is with a poor man that is to go over a great water for a treasure on the other side, though he cannot fetch the boat, he calls for it; and though there be no treasure in the boat, yet he useth the boat to carry him over to the treasure: so Christ is in heaven, and thou on earth, he doth not come to thee, and thou canst not go to him; now call for a boat, though there is no grace, no good, no salvation in a pithless duty, yet use it to carry thee over to the treasure the Lord Jesus Christ. When thou comest to hear, say, Have over Lord by this Sermon. When thou comest to pray, say, Have over Lord by this prayer to a Saviour. But this is the misery of people, like foolish lovers, when they are to woe for the Lady, they fall in love with her handmaid that is only to lead them to her: so ⟨p. 260⟩men fall in love with, and dote upon their own duties, and rest contented with the naked performance of them, which are only handmaids to lead the soul unto the Lord Jesus Christ.

1.¹ 1. To carry thee to the Lord Jesus the onely Saviour, Heb. 7. 25. he onely is able to save (not duties) all that come unto God (that is, in the use of means,) by him: heare a Sermon to carry thee to Jesus Christ: Fast and pray, and get a full tide of affections in them to carry thee to the Lord Jesus Christ, (that is,) to get a more love to him, more acquaintance with him, more union with him: so sorrow for thy sins, that thou mayest be more fitted for Christ, that thou mayest prize Christ the more; use thy duties, as Noah's dove did her